


Sweet, Sweet Communication

by tired_alexander



Category: Rise (TV 2018)
Genre: Communication, Enjoy some sweet ass communication fellas., M/M, Yeah I fixed it., You know when you have a problem with the characters not communicating?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 11:32:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14496063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tired_alexander/pseuds/tired_alexander
Summary: A fic that pics up from Jeremy and Simon's latest confrontation, but this time they actually talk about what they're really feeling/thinking. Thank God.





	Sweet, Sweet Communication

**Author's Note:**

> I hate when characters don't communicate, so yeah. Made my own version of the scene. Enjoy!
> 
> Please come talk to me about these boys and this show on my Tumblr, tired-alexander!

“Why?”

“You know why.”

Jeremy spoke bitterly, turning and walking away, feeling tears begin to build in his eyes. He knew attempting to talk to Simon would most likely end up hurting him once more, but the risk was worth it to him. His head swam with thoughts as to why Simon would kiss him, but then sleep with Annabelle. Which, the more he thinks about it, doesn’t make sense - that hurts Annabelle. Jeremy immediately turned around and walked back into the room, startling Simon.

“Based on how you spoke to me a few seconds ago, I’d assumed you’d want to see less of me,” Simon spoke, a sharp tone and hint of confusion in his voice. 

“Right now, I don’t. But the more I think, the more I realize that we just need to sit down….sit down and talk. Not all flustered and angry like all our conversations have been recently. I…” Jeremy faltered, his voice sounding worn and tired, and incredibly small, “I just...want to understand what I’ve done wrong. And why you’re doing this.”

Simon furrowed his eyebrows and scoffed. “Doing what?”

“SEE! There it is agai-. No. I can’t just…perpetuate the problem.” Jeremy took a deep breath and sat on the floor, gesturing in front of him for Simon to sit down. Simon stared, considering his options. He didn’t want to talk to Jeremy, didn’t want to look him in his soft eyes or hear the sadness that had crept its way into his voice every time they’d talked recently. His logic told him to stay so he could reject Jeremy once and for all. His heart, though - his heart felt light and fluttery, and however small the feeling was, it was there, and was more real than any feelings he had ever felt towards Annabelle. So he sat, and breathed. 

Jeremy spoke first after a minute of tense silence. “I just want to establish something: I don’t want either of us to get frustrated and just...leave? Because then we’ll just become more mad, and won’t talk at all, and I just….I hate this lingering feeling of ‘not okay’. Understand? We talk until we’re done.” 

Simon nodded slowly. He too was quite tired of the lingering feeling of unease after ever conversation the pair had. “Okay. I agree.”

Jeremy nodded in response, swallowing thickly. “I, uh. First of all, before anything else is discussed, I need to know: have you ever felt...anything...towards me?” He looked at the ground, afraid of a false response once again from Simon. This time, Simon spoke truthfully.

“I……..do. I do.” Simon was quiet, speaking as though this was the first time he was truly admitting it to himself, too. 

“Then why are you with Annabelle if you feel something with me? I’ve been so confused and in the dark for so long, I just want answers, Simon.” Jeremy spoke hastily and emphatically, scooting a little closer to Simon on the ground as he spoke. 

“Jeremy...there’s so much that I haven’t told you. My family is extremely religious, and when I told them that I was cast as Hanschen, a...bisexual guy in a show about abortion, teenage sexuality, suicide and such…..they tried to transfer me to St. Francis. Not even pull me out of the show, but tried to transfer schools entirely. So the possibility that I….” His heart caught in his throat. His face felt hot, and he looked up to see the dots connecting for Jeremy. Jeremy reached forward and held his left hand in between his two, to ground Simon, and let him know he was there.

“The possibility of you being gay puts you in a horrible position with your family,” Jeremy finished the thought. 

The other boy nodded slowly. Salty tears began to well up in Simon’s eyes, and he tried to blink them away. He couldn’t, and started to cry, ripping his hand from Jeremy’s grip and hiding his face. “If...I...I CAN’T be gay. I just can’t. The church teaches that being gay is w-wrong. If...if they were lying, w-why would they teach it?” Simon spoke between sobs, suddenly seeming very small and helpless.

Jeremy reached forward with a soft shush and enveloped Simon in a hug, pulling him into his lap and running his fingers through his hair. “Shhh, it’s okay, Simon. It’s okay to be gay. It’s been really hard for me too, but I’m learning to accept myself. Those people at church...they just can’t see past the ends of their noses. God loves you, he made you just the way you are. Shhh, you’re alright.” He rocked slightly, hugging Simon tight while he cried into his shoulder. It was as if all of the tension and worry that Simon had been feeling recently had been released all at once, and the floodgates had been torn down. He cried for a few more minutes until he had calmed down, sniffling a little. His hands had been clenched on Jeremy’s shirt so he let go for a few seconds, before moving to hold Jeremy’s hand once more, drawing patterns into his palm. The pair sat in silence for a moment before Simon spoke once more, voice raw from crying.

“I tried to make myself like Annabelle, tried to...ignore what I was feeling. I...I’ve made mistakes. I’ve done wrong by her, was unfair...I tried to sleep with her, Jeremy, before the cops came - emphasis on ‘tried’. Rumors spread that we had but we...didn’t. I tried to convince myself that if I…” he hesitated, before burying his head in Jeremy’s shoulder to avoid looking at him, “if I slept with her, I would feel more towards her, and wouldn’t feel what I feel towards...you.”

Jeremy lifted Simon’s head and held it between his hands, forcing the tear-stained boy to meet his eyes. “Simon, I won’t deny that what you tried to prove to yourself was wrong, that was not fair to Annabelle, or me. But now...you can live your truth. You can finally breathe, Simon.”

And he did.  
The pair sat for a few minutes longer, enjoying the newly embraced connection between them, before Jeremy looked down at Simon, still in his lap. 

“May I...kiss you?”

Simon stared at him before a small smile graced his features, eyes softer than they had been in days. “You may,” Simon replied, the hint of a giggle in his voice.

Jeremy grinned brightly before leaning down and capturing Simon’s lips in his own, for a quick chaste kiss. And this time, Simon kissed back confidently, before pulling back. He stood, holding Jeremy’s hand and pulling him to his feet. He didn’t let go of his hands, instead lacing their fingers together. “What does this mean for us?”

Slight fear flashed through Jeremy’s eyes before gripping Simon’s hand a little tighter. “We figure this out, together. We communicate more about how we’re feeling, especially. We aso talk to Annabelle, and maybe some close friends if you’re okay with it. And we don’t have to tell your parents, if you don’t want to. But no matter what, I am here for you, and will be with you every step of the way.” He raised their joined hands, kissing Simon’s knuckles. Simon blushed, but a happy giggle escaped his lips. 

“I’m happier than I’ve been...in a long time. Thanks for making us talk, Jeremy.”

“No problem.” 

They swung their hands together like giddy children as they made their way back to the auditorium, silly smiles on their faces.


End file.
